The Future of Research and Measurement Tools

When it comes to PR the majority of attention is placed on our external communications--we’re judged by the relationships we have with reporters and the efficacy with which we pitch. However, it is what happens before and afterthe press release goes out that can mean the most. The two Rs, research and reporting, are the essential (and time consuming) pillars of our craft. You can forgive PR professionals for not leading with the analytical side of the equation when describing our work (we know how to craft a message after all). But the increasing importance of research and measurement can be seen in the rise of new PR tools that aim to streamline media outreach and reporting. This new technology reveals a lot about the state of our industry. 

While research remains an essential part of a PR's day-to-day, quantifiable measurement is also becoming more and more important. Where once PR was measured in literal press clips, today we sift through and try to comprehend numbers ranging from media value to click through rates. One of the ongoing frustrations in PR is communicating the true value of certain press hits--beyond just pageviews or circulation numbers. We still struggle with how to handle “fuzzy” metrics. Innovators have taken notice. New technology is cropping up that aims to make PR reporting more transparent and measure qualitative results like “sentiment.”

Fueled by the ever-transforming media landscape, PR as an industry is constantly evolving. As thoughtful public relations practitioners, we have to start thinking more critically about the tools we use to make our decisions. From how we build media lists to the way we report results, technology is being developed to make us more efficient and arm us with better intelligence. These new offerings can empower us with better information, but it’s what we do with that information that ultimately counts. It’s still our responsibility to craft the message that will have the most resonance and, (as of this blog post), there’s no app for that.